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Headspace冥想正念手冊
Amazon.com暢銷書
比爾‧蓋茲2018年度唯一推薦大腦潛能開發書籍
跟著蓋茲的冥想老師鍛鍊心智，
每天只要10分鐘，活化你的大腦！
谷歌、蘋果、臉書、Salesforce、哈佛大學、史丹佛大學、耶魯大學……
風靡矽谷世界級企業和全球頂尖學府的冥想正念
現在你也可以在家練習！
「我喜歡10分鐘練習的成效，非常感謝帕帝康帶我踏上這段旅程。」――比爾‧蓋茲（Bill Gates）
「有點天才！」――艾瑪‧華生（Emma Watson）
本書作者安迪．帕帝康曾為佛教僧侶，現在是冥想正念推廣公司Headspace的共同創辦人，也是英國目前唯一通過醫療諮詢委員會許可私人開業的臨床醫療顧問，迄今在世界各地推廣冥想正念超過15年的時間，公認為英國最頂尖的正念專家之一。
帕帝康在二十幾歲、還在大學唸運動科學的期間就決定輟學，飛到喜馬拉雅山上學習冥想。自此，他周遊列國了十年，包括印度、尼泊爾、緬甸、泰國、澳洲、俄羅斯，最後在印度北部受戒成為藏佛僧侶。2004年還俗之後，帕帝康曾在莫斯科國立大馬戲團接受短暫訓練，繼而在倫敦舞蹈與戲劇藝術學院研習取得馬戲藝術學位，同時籌劃創立傳授冥想正念的機構Headspace公司。Headspace公司提供冥想正念課程，在2012年推出第一個版本的Headspace行動應用程式，陸續獲得一些創投公司和影視名人的投資。根據統計，到目前為止，全球已有超過3,000萬人下載課程，付費訂閱用戶超過100萬人。
帕帝康還俗的使命，就是教導世人每天抽出10分鐘的時間冥想，將正念的技巧應用在日常生活中。2018年，帕帝康受邀到比爾．蓋茲家中，為他全家人進行一天半的冥想正念指導課程，蓋茲一家人的體驗，全部可以在這本書中學到。本書也列為比爾．蓋茲2018年度推薦書單，是唯一與大腦潛能開發有關的書籍。
在認識帕帝康之前，蓋茲對冥想也不以為然。現在，他有了全新不同的見解：「對我來說，冥想其實就是簡單的腦部運動，大概就跟運動時使用肌肉的方式類似。冥想跟信仰或迷信無關，我所做的，其實就是每天撥出幾分鐘的時間，練習如何專注，遠離腦中各種思緒。」
帕帝康豐富的人生閱歷和扎實的訓練背景，使他成為一個卓越的冥想正念老師。他很會說故事，用了很多很有幫助的比喻，例如藍天、道路、野馬等，來介紹冥想正念的技巧。跟你想的可能有點不一樣，冥想正念並非那麼宗教意涵，我們在日常生活中的各項活動，包括走路、吃東西、運動，甚至睡覺等，都能夠練習冥想正念，專注於當下。
冥想正念的功效獲得科學研究證實，在本書前三章的最後，帕帝康引述了多項研究發現，指出冥想正念對身心健康眾多層面都能夠產生有益的影響，從提升專注力和生產力，到紓解壓力與焦慮、幫助睡眠、減重、改善人際關係、改善皮膚病、提高受孕機率等，從各方面幫助我們提升生活品質與幸福感。
每天只要10分鐘，練習靜心，感受到壓力減輕、疲憊減輕，體驗「頂空」，達到平靜與滿足的新境界。
風靡矽谷世界級企業和全球頂尖學府的冥想正念，現在你也可以在家練習！
比爾‧蓋茲2018年度唯一推薦大腦潛能開發書籍
跟著蓋茲的冥想老師鍛鍊心智，
每天只要10分鐘，活化你的大腦！
谷歌、蘋果、臉書、Salesforce、哈佛大學、史丹佛大學、耶魯大學……
風靡矽谷世界級企業和全球頂尖學府的冥想正念
現在你也可以在家練習！
「我喜歡10分鐘練習的成效，非常感謝帕帝康帶我踏上這段旅程。」――比爾‧蓋茲（Bill Gates）
「有點天才！」――艾瑪‧華生（Emma Watson）
本書作者安迪．帕帝康曾為佛教僧侶，現在是冥想正念推廣公司Headspace的共同創辦人，也是英國目前唯一通過醫療諮詢委員會許可私人開業的臨床醫療顧問，迄今在世界各地推廣冥想正念超過15年的時間，公認為英國最頂尖的正念專家之一。
帕帝康在二十幾歲、還在大學唸運動科學的期間就決定輟學，飛到喜馬拉雅山上學習冥想。自此，他周遊列國了十年，包括印度、尼泊爾、緬甸、泰國、澳洲、俄羅斯，最後在印度北部受戒成為藏佛僧侶。2004年還俗之後，帕帝康曾在莫斯科國立大馬戲團接受短暫訓練，繼而在倫敦舞蹈與戲劇藝術學院研習取得馬戲藝術學位，同時籌劃創立傳授冥想正念的機構Headspace公司。Headspace公司提供冥想正念課程，在2012年推出第一個版本的Headspace行動應用程式，陸續獲得一些創投公司和影視名人的投資。根據統計，到目前為止，全球已有超過3,000萬人下載課程，付費訂閱用戶超過100萬人。
帕帝康還俗的使命，就是教導世人每天抽出10分鐘的時間冥想，將正念的技巧應用在日常生活中。2018年，帕帝康受邀到比爾．蓋茲家中，為他全家人進行一天半的冥想正念指導課程，蓋茲一家人的體驗，全部可以在這本書中學到。本書也列為比爾．蓋茲2018年度推薦書單，是唯一與大腦潛能開發有關的書籍。
在認識帕帝康之前，蓋茲對冥想也不以為然。現在，他有了全新不同的見解：「對我來說，冥想其實就是簡單的腦部運動，大概就跟運動時使用肌肉的方式類似。冥想跟信仰或迷信無關，我所做的，其實就是每天撥出幾分鐘的時間，練習如何專注，遠離腦中各種思緒。」
帕帝康豐富的人生閱歷和扎實的訓練背景，使他成為一個卓越的冥想正念老師。他很會說故事，用了很多很有幫助的比喻，例如藍天、道路、野馬等，來介紹冥想正念的技巧。跟你想的可能有點不一樣，冥想正念並非那麼宗教意涵，我們在日常生活中的各項活動，包括走路、吃東西、運動，甚至睡覺等，都能夠練習冥想正念，專注於當下。
冥想正念的功效獲得科學研究證實，在本書前三章的最後，帕帝康引述了多項研究發現，指出冥想正念對身心健康眾多層面都能夠產生有益的影響，從提升專注力和生產力，到紓解壓力與焦慮、幫助睡眠、減重、改善人際關係、改善皮膚病、提高受孕機率等，從各方面幫助我們提升生活品質與幸福感。
每天只要10分鐘，練習靜心，感受到壓力減輕、疲憊減輕，體驗「頂空」，達到平靜與滿足的新境界。
風靡矽谷世界級企業和全球頂尖學府的冥想正念，現在你也可以在家練習！
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
3850 people are currently reading
30024 people want to read
About the author
Andy Puddicombe
68 books567 followersAndy Puddicombe, born September 23, 1972, is the founder of Headspace; an award-winning[1] digital health platform that provides guided meditation sessions for its users. A former Buddhist monk with a degree in Circus Arts. According to The Times, he is also considered the "international poster boy for the modern mindfulness movement".[2] As both author and public speaker,[3] Puddicombe is known for his simple, accessible and secular approach, which has led to over 1 million users of the Headspace platform. The New York Times claims "Puddicombe is doing for meditation what Jamie Oliver has done for food". (source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,041 reviews
December 3, 2018
I stopped listening to music and watching TV in my 20s. It sounds extreme, but I did it because I thought they would just distract me from thinking about software. That blackout period lasted only about five years, and these days I’m a huge fan of TV shows like Narcos and listen to a lot of U2, Willie Nelson, and the Beatles.
Back when I was avoiding music and TV in the hope of maintaining my focus, I knew that lots of other people were using meditation to achieve similar ends. But I wasn’t interested. I thought of meditation as a woo-woo thing tied somehow to reincarnation, and I didn’t buy into it.
Lately, though, I’ve gained a much better understanding of meditation. I’m certainly not an expert, but I now meditate two or three times a week, for about 10 minutes each time. Melinda meditates too. Sometimes we sit to meditate together. (We use comfortable chairs; there’s no way I could do the lotus position.)
I now see that meditation is simply exercise for the mind, similar to the way we exercise our muscles when we play sports. For me, it has nothing to do with faith or mysticism. It’s about taking a few minutes out of my day, learning how to pay attention to the thoughts in my head, and gaining a little bit of distance from them.
Andy Puddicombe, the 46-year-old cofounder and voice of the popular Headspace app, was the person who turned me from skeptic to believer. Prior to finding Headspace, I had read several books about meditation, all of which intimidated me. They made me think that the investment in terms of time and energy was just too high. Headspace made the barrier to entry low enough for me. It’s just 10 minutes a day of listening to Andy’s soothing British accent and trying to stay with him. Andy has taken some heat from hard-core meditators for his low-barrier approach, but he got me to take up meditation and stick with it. I’m glad he did.
If you want to try meditation for yourself, one good way to ease into it—especially if you’re as skeptical as I was—is to pick up a copy of Andy’s book, The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness. Andy’s a witty storyteller and offers lots of helpful metaphors to explain potentially tricky concepts, which makes the book an easy, enjoyable read. Andy presents the evidence base behind these practices in sections called “What the research shows” so you know the benefits are legitimate. And the book also helps you see that Andy himself is legitimate. He’s an ordained Buddhist monk who trained for many years in monasteries in India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia, Russia, and Scotland.
The book begins with Andy describing one of them: “Locked in, day and night, surrounded by high stone walls and with no way of contacting anyone on the outside, at times it had felt more like a prison.”
At another monastery, the monks served trainees curry and rice every day, and they made the trainees eat it very slowly over the course of exactly an hour. One super hot day, the monks placed in front of each trainee a wonderful surprise: ice cream. “It was like being a child at a birthday party when the cake comes out.” Unfortunately, the trainees soon discovered they were not allowed to touch the ice cream until they had eaten their curry and rice in the painfully slow way they’d been taught. As the ice cream melted in front of him, he felt angry, then sad and guilty for feeling angry—just as the monks knew would happen.
It turns out that monastic life wasn’t right for Andy. As we learn in the book, after ten years he left and—I kid you not—became a circus clown in London. He wanted to be fully engaged in the world rather than cloistering himself away in artificially quiet retreats.
While he was a clown, he started teaching meditation to those with severe anxiety and other conditions. A few years later, he started Headspace to bring meditation to the masses. He felt that meditation was a skill everyone could learn without sitting behind high stone walls or being subjected to mind games.
Melinda and I enjoyed Andy’s work so much that we reached out to him to see whether he might be willing to spend some time teaching our family. He was glad to do it, which was a real treat for us. For a day and a half, Andy helped us and two of our kids through exercises that are similar to the ones you’ll find in the book. Andy was just as warm, humble, and real as we’d imagined from reading his book and listening to him on the app.
I’m not sure how much meditation would have helped me concentrate in my early Microsoft days, because I was monomaniacally focused without it. But now that I’m married, have three children, and have a broader set of professional and personal interests, it’s a great tool for improving my focus. It’s also helped me step back and get some ease with whatever thoughts or emotions are present. I like what I’m getting from my 10 minutes every few days. I’m grateful to Andy for helping me on this journey.
Back when I was avoiding music and TV in the hope of maintaining my focus, I knew that lots of other people were using meditation to achieve similar ends. But I wasn’t interested. I thought of meditation as a woo-woo thing tied somehow to reincarnation, and I didn’t buy into it.
Lately, though, I’ve gained a much better understanding of meditation. I’m certainly not an expert, but I now meditate two or three times a week, for about 10 minutes each time. Melinda meditates too. Sometimes we sit to meditate together. (We use comfortable chairs; there’s no way I could do the lotus position.)
I now see that meditation is simply exercise for the mind, similar to the way we exercise our muscles when we play sports. For me, it has nothing to do with faith or mysticism. It’s about taking a few minutes out of my day, learning how to pay attention to the thoughts in my head, and gaining a little bit of distance from them.
Andy Puddicombe, the 46-year-old cofounder and voice of the popular Headspace app, was the person who turned me from skeptic to believer. Prior to finding Headspace, I had read several books about meditation, all of which intimidated me. They made me think that the investment in terms of time and energy was just too high. Headspace made the barrier to entry low enough for me. It’s just 10 minutes a day of listening to Andy’s soothing British accent and trying to stay with him. Andy has taken some heat from hard-core meditators for his low-barrier approach, but he got me to take up meditation and stick with it. I’m glad he did.
If you want to try meditation for yourself, one good way to ease into it—especially if you’re as skeptical as I was—is to pick up a copy of Andy’s book, The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness. Andy’s a witty storyteller and offers lots of helpful metaphors to explain potentially tricky concepts, which makes the book an easy, enjoyable read. Andy presents the evidence base behind these practices in sections called “What the research shows” so you know the benefits are legitimate. And the book also helps you see that Andy himself is legitimate. He’s an ordained Buddhist monk who trained for many years in monasteries in India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia, Russia, and Scotland.
The book begins with Andy describing one of them: “Locked in, day and night, surrounded by high stone walls and with no way of contacting anyone on the outside, at times it had felt more like a prison.”
At another monastery, the monks served trainees curry and rice every day, and they made the trainees eat it very slowly over the course of exactly an hour. One super hot day, the monks placed in front of each trainee a wonderful surprise: ice cream. “It was like being a child at a birthday party when the cake comes out.” Unfortunately, the trainees soon discovered they were not allowed to touch the ice cream until they had eaten their curry and rice in the painfully slow way they’d been taught. As the ice cream melted in front of him, he felt angry, then sad and guilty for feeling angry—just as the monks knew would happen.
It turns out that monastic life wasn’t right for Andy. As we learn in the book, after ten years he left and—I kid you not—became a circus clown in London. He wanted to be fully engaged in the world rather than cloistering himself away in artificially quiet retreats.
While he was a clown, he started teaching meditation to those with severe anxiety and other conditions. A few years later, he started Headspace to bring meditation to the masses. He felt that meditation was a skill everyone could learn without sitting behind high stone walls or being subjected to mind games.
Melinda and I enjoyed Andy’s work so much that we reached out to him to see whether he might be willing to spend some time teaching our family. He was glad to do it, which was a real treat for us. For a day and a half, Andy helped us and two of our kids through exercises that are similar to the ones you’ll find in the book. Andy was just as warm, humble, and real as we’d imagined from reading his book and listening to him on the app.
I’m not sure how much meditation would have helped me concentrate in my early Microsoft days, because I was monomaniacally focused without it. But now that I’m married, have three children, and have a broader set of professional and personal interests, it’s a great tool for improving my focus. It’s also helped me step back and get some ease with whatever thoughts or emotions are present. I like what I’m getting from my 10 minutes every few days. I’m grateful to Andy for helping me on this journey.
January 26, 2013
Several years ago I suspended my cynicism, switched off my mobile phone and went on a two-day meditation course. After an awkward forty-eight hours of chanting, bell ringing and deathly silences I was sent home with a personal mantra and a recommendation to practice ‘doing it’ for thirty minutes twice a day. Guess what happened? I didn’t do it. Every time I sat down, hoping to find calm, I ended up compiling mental to-do lists. When the time was up I’d leap out of the chair feeling frantic and annoyed that I’d wasted half an hour of my life. Over the years I’ve read other books on the subject and dipped in and out. Sometimes the advice to ‘imagine my thoughts like fluffy clouds on a summer day’ has worked but, more than often, it hasn’t. I started reading Get Some Headspace after a friend’s enthusiastic recommendation. I really like Andy’s down-to-earth language and his personal stories. I can relate to his desire to manage the negative/rambling voice in his head and his initial struggles to achieve positive results from meditating. I’ve registered online, downloaded the app (which is brilliant because you can have a guided meditation anytime, anyplace), and I’m enjoying my ten minutes everyday. I think this system works because it offers accessible support and encouragement and it enables me to easily incorporate meditation into a busy day. To my amazement, I’m beginning to think ten minutes isn’t long enough!
March 2, 2014
My exploration into meditation continues. I started on February 5th when I wrote the post Learning To Meditate. Since then, I've been practicing every day, read a few books on meditation, talked to a lot of people about it, and explored several iPhone / web apps.
The impact on me has been awesome.
After talking to Jerry Colonna for a few hours about meditation on the snowy Sunday after I started, he recommended I take a look at Headspace. I signed up that night and started doing the Take10 meditations. For the first few days, I did it once a day, but then quickly starting practicing twice a day, once in the morning and once before I went to bed. Occasionally I'd toss in another session at lunch time, although sometimes I just did a silent meditation instead for 10 to 15 minutes.
After about a week I was deeply hooked. I grabbed the iPhone GetSomeHeadspace app and untethered myself from my desk. We've got a meditation room in our new house and even though it's very sparse right now (just one sitting pillow), it's a magnificent sanctuary for my meditation.
I noticed that Andy Puddicombe, the founder of Headspace, had written a book called Get Some Headspace: How Mindfulness Can Change Your Life in Ten Minutes a Day. I downloaded it and read it last night and this morning. Since I'm deep into the Headspace program, a lot of it was familiar to me. But Andy's description of his own meditation journey is fascinating, and reinforces a lot of things he guides you through in the Headspace program.
Near the end, he has a great chapter on different forms of meditation beyond sitting. He covers walking, sleeping, eating, and running. These are forms that intrigue me, especially since I run a lot, eat too fast, and am exploring different sleep patterns.
Overall, the book is a nice addition to the Headspace program. If you are intrigued about meditation, it's a fast, easy, helpful read. But there's nothing like just practicing. For that, I recommend you hop on line and try the free Headspace Take10 program.
The impact on me has been awesome.
After talking to Jerry Colonna for a few hours about meditation on the snowy Sunday after I started, he recommended I take a look at Headspace. I signed up that night and started doing the Take10 meditations. For the first few days, I did it once a day, but then quickly starting practicing twice a day, once in the morning and once before I went to bed. Occasionally I'd toss in another session at lunch time, although sometimes I just did a silent meditation instead for 10 to 15 minutes.
After about a week I was deeply hooked. I grabbed the iPhone GetSomeHeadspace app and untethered myself from my desk. We've got a meditation room in our new house and even though it's very sparse right now (just one sitting pillow), it's a magnificent sanctuary for my meditation.
I noticed that Andy Puddicombe, the founder of Headspace, had written a book called Get Some Headspace: How Mindfulness Can Change Your Life in Ten Minutes a Day. I downloaded it and read it last night and this morning. Since I'm deep into the Headspace program, a lot of it was familiar to me. But Andy's description of his own meditation journey is fascinating, and reinforces a lot of things he guides you through in the Headspace program.
Near the end, he has a great chapter on different forms of meditation beyond sitting. He covers walking, sleeping, eating, and running. These are forms that intrigue me, especially since I run a lot, eat too fast, and am exploring different sleep patterns.
Overall, the book is a nice addition to the Headspace program. If you are intrigued about meditation, it's a fast, easy, helpful read. But there's nothing like just practicing. For that, I recommend you hop on line and try the free Headspace Take10 program.
January 15, 2019
It was a relaxed, slow-paced, lite book on meditation and a method of doing it.
I enjoyed the book, however, it didn't gave me a heavy insight into meditation, but it gave me fairly good understand of what involves in a good practice of meditation. And also it brought the importance of its integration into other parts of my life. I should mention that though the book explains some meditation practices, it cannot do the job of the app, and vice versa. Although I think the book was intended as an independent product with the same aim as the app.
I enjoyed the book, however, it didn't gave me a heavy insight into meditation, but it gave me fairly good understand of what involves in a good practice of meditation. And also it brought the importance of its integration into other parts of my life. I should mention that though the book explains some meditation practices, it cannot do the job of the app, and vice versa. Although I think the book was intended as an independent product with the same aim as the app.
Read
April 11, 2015Wow. I sort of cannot believe how much I liked this book. I have never been good at quieting my mind and that was BEFORE having kids. And since? It is so noisy- I want a break from my thoughts. Enter this book. I think I read somewhere that meditation is a gym membership for the mind. It's true, guys! I have downloaded the Headspace app and I LOVE it. It is perfect for a beginner like me b/c the app uses guided meditation. All it requires is ten minutes of your time a day. And after that ten minutes? So relaxed.
June 14, 2021
Often in life we get so caught up in the analysis, the dissection of every possible outcome, that we miss an opportunity altogether. Of course, some things require careful consideration, but the more we live mindfully, in the moment, the more we start to get a sense of what feels right. Whether you think of it as a gut feeling, intuition, being guided, or just knowing for yourself that it’s the right thing to do, this can be an incredibly liberating discovery.
Do your thoughts define the way you feel? Or does the way you feel define your thoughts?
May 21, 21
April 20, 2012
Beginners Only!!
This book contains very basic information on mindfulness and meditation. If you are a beginner or have been having trouble following a practice, this may contain the guidance you need. I was a little upset about the blatant commercialism of this book. The use of cute copyrighted terms like "headspace©" and "Take10©" turned me off. The book also repeatedly references the author's website where very little information is available without registering. It looked and smelled like a moneymaking machine that I would prefer to avoid. I did enjoy reading about the author's experiences as a Buddhist monk, especially the "Screaming Man Story".
This book contains very basic information on mindfulness and meditation. If you are a beginner or have been having trouble following a practice, this may contain the guidance you need. I was a little upset about the blatant commercialism of this book. The use of cute copyrighted terms like "headspace©" and "Take10©" turned me off. The book also repeatedly references the author's website where very little information is available without registering. It looked and smelled like a moneymaking machine that I would prefer to avoid. I did enjoy reading about the author's experiences as a Buddhist monk, especially the "Screaming Man Story".
October 27, 2017
[I've also written a longer review of the book in my blog. You can find it here.]
I had already used the Headspace meditation app for a year before reading the book. Still, the book was definitely worth it! For example, the Headspace book goes deeper in the theory and reasoning than the app. The clear explaining also helped me correct some misconceptions I still had about meditation.
The Headspace book does a great job of teaching mindfulness in a very easy-to-understand way. Instead of giving the reader an information overload, the book has a clear focus on the most important information. It also helps that Andy Puddicombe is a very engaging and entertaining writer.
If I'd need to recommend just one book for someone who wants to learn mindfulness and meditation, I'd hand them "The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness".
Ps. "The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness" and "Get Some Headspace" are listed as different books in Goodreads, but make no mistake: "The Headspace Guide..." is just a re-branded version of the exact same thing.
I had already used the Headspace meditation app for a year before reading the book. Still, the book was definitely worth it! For example, the Headspace book goes deeper in the theory and reasoning than the app. The clear explaining also helped me correct some misconceptions I still had about meditation.
The Headspace book does a great job of teaching mindfulness in a very easy-to-understand way. Instead of giving the reader an information overload, the book has a clear focus on the most important information. It also helps that Andy Puddicombe is a very engaging and entertaining writer.
If I'd need to recommend just one book for someone who wants to learn mindfulness and meditation, I'd hand them "The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness".
Ps. "The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness" and "Get Some Headspace" are listed as different books in Goodreads, but make no mistake: "The Headspace Guide..." is just a re-branded version of the exact same thing.
September 13, 2020
3.5 stars.
I am quite convinced of the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, which was why I read this book. The instruction surrounding the concept of mindfulness as a form of meditation made more sense than the 'traditional' idea of meditation, i.e. a state of having no thoughts in one's mind. I had tried that kind of meditation many times with all those breathing techniques with picturing one's third eye and the flow of prana, etc etc, but it never worked. The only thing that left me feeling a bit cold is the whole idea that people who are already so reliant on their smartphones are now reaching for it to help them meditate through an app. This is truly a sign of our times.
I am quite convinced of the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, which was why I read this book. The instruction surrounding the concept of mindfulness as a form of meditation made more sense than the 'traditional' idea of meditation, i.e. a state of having no thoughts in one's mind. I had tried that kind of meditation many times with all those breathing techniques with picturing one's third eye and the flow of prana, etc etc, but it never worked. The only thing that left me feeling a bit cold is the whole idea that people who are already so reliant on their smartphones are now reaching for it to help them meditate through an app. This is truly a sign of our times.
February 5, 2019
While this book was an entertaining, gentle, and refreshingly irreverent introduction to meditation, from my perspective it didn't live up to the glowing reviews I'd heard about it. I've read a number of books and guides to meditation over the years, from Western approaches to Eastern religious texts (Hindu and Buddhist), and it's true that many of them can make the practice of meditation seem incredibly intimidating. This book takes a much less formal approach, and guides the reader through both the why and how of basic meditation techniques with joy and humor. As others have pointed out in their reviews, the book is made stronger both by his reference to studies that have demonstrated the value of meditation, as well as the endless personal stories which bring color to the sometimes dry material. In the end, though, the book just doesn't contain that much real information about meditation, and most of what it has to teach could easily have been covered in a chapter or two. It was an enjoyable read, so this is acceptable, but intermediate or advanced meditators are not going to find much new here.
I will admit that this book, unlike the many others I've read, did get me to start a meditation practice, both at home and in some of the situational mindfulness practices he describes (walking, riding the bus). I don't follow his take-10 methodology exactly, but I did find the framework he presents helpful in coming up with a practice that works for me. Only time will tell if this will prove useful for me, but this is more committed than I've been to a practice than ever before.
A note about the audiobook - the author reads very slowly, and it was hard to handle this book at less than 2.5x. As such, I found the HeadSpace app unbearable, as you must listen to the guided meditations at 1x. The last chapter in the book does have a version of each guided meditation, but I did not find this particularly useful.
[update 12/20/18]
Though I stand by the content of my review, I've updated my rating from three stars to four. This is primarily because I've found the lessons and techniques in this book to be remarkably "sticky" - it has not only led me to consistent practices of both sitting and walking meditations, various concepts, images, and techniques from the book keep coming back to me as I shape my own practice. It's a book I'll definitely be recommending to others, and as such it deserves at least four stars.
[Update 2/5/19 - bumping up to five stars. Despite its quirks, this book was incredibly helpful to me, and it has taken a couple of months to see the full benefits. As I mentioned in my last update, the book got me to finally start a meditation practice, and now I've found several real world situations where being able to use that muscle of clearing my mind has been incredibly useful. I'm now going back through "Peace is Every Step," and even that book is proving far more meaningful now that this one got me on the path to a daily practice.
I will admit that this book, unlike the many others I've read, did get me to start a meditation practice, both at home and in some of the situational mindfulness practices he describes (walking, riding the bus). I don't follow his take-10 methodology exactly, but I did find the framework he presents helpful in coming up with a practice that works for me. Only time will tell if this will prove useful for me, but this is more committed than I've been to a practice than ever before.
A note about the audiobook - the author reads very slowly, and it was hard to handle this book at less than 2.5x. As such, I found the HeadSpace app unbearable, as you must listen to the guided meditations at 1x. The last chapter in the book does have a version of each guided meditation, but I did not find this particularly useful.
[update 12/20/18]
Though I stand by the content of my review, I've updated my rating from three stars to four. This is primarily because I've found the lessons and techniques in this book to be remarkably "sticky" - it has not only led me to consistent practices of both sitting and walking meditations, various concepts, images, and techniques from the book keep coming back to me as I shape my own practice. It's a book I'll definitely be recommending to others, and as such it deserves at least four stars.
[Update 2/5/19 - bumping up to five stars. Despite its quirks, this book was incredibly helpful to me, and it has taken a couple of months to see the full benefits. As I mentioned in my last update, the book got me to finally start a meditation practice, and now I've found several real world situations where being able to use that muscle of clearing my mind has been incredibly useful. I'm now going back through "Peace is Every Step," and even that book is proving far more meaningful now that this one got me on the path to a daily practice.
December 12, 2020
Finished this book few weeks back but I didn't find myself worth of writing a review without practicing it in daily life. But today I feel confident enough to express how 10 minutes a day is creating a bigger change everyday. It feels more like; one step at a time. If it wasn't Andy Puddicombe's decision to go back to become a monk, if it wasn't his decision to come back and start the Headspace app, then it would have been difficult for me to experience this enlightenment in my life. I have always believed in training my physical body for any athletic activity. Be it a cricket match, a full marathon or any sport in life. But I never realized that it is equally essential to train my mind for a happier me.
Let me tell you, that this journey was not easy as sitting for a 10 minute focused exercise. It was more about the distraction, mind would experience and how difficult it was to sit still and not get carried away with multiple thoughts coming to your mind. How a long break and losing the discipline and regularity was an indispensable part of this journey.
After being proven and backed up with some research about the effectiveness of mindfulness and meditation, it was easy to incorporate as a part of life and daily practice.
An essential read for people wanting some peace in life, a different way of being aware and also if you want to stop your anxiety and depression medications. A must read.
One of the biggest realization for a multi-centric person like me was - "Mind can only be in one place at a time."
Let me tell you, that this journey was not easy as sitting for a 10 minute focused exercise. It was more about the distraction, mind would experience and how difficult it was to sit still and not get carried away with multiple thoughts coming to your mind. How a long break and losing the discipline and regularity was an indispensable part of this journey.
After being proven and backed up with some research about the effectiveness of mindfulness and meditation, it was easy to incorporate as a part of life and daily practice.
An essential read for people wanting some peace in life, a different way of being aware and also if you want to stop your anxiety and depression medications. A must read.
One of the biggest realization for a multi-centric person like me was - "Mind can only be in one place at a time."
November 5, 2016
Love the app, which I use and find very engaging. The book, however, is a little repetitive if you are already using the app. Would be better to read the book and then see the film, if you get my drift. Some entertaining and poignant stories from Andy's monastical experiences though, which I did enjoy.
June 26, 2020
Andy Puddicombe is a genius. He has simplified meditation especially for the likes of me who felt meditation is some otherworldly technique that I'll never be able to master. A 10 min meditation is bite-sized, accessible, and almost inviting in itself. I've been using the Headspace app for over a year now, but this book really puts every aspect of the app into perspective.
Who knew that activities like eating, sleeping, and even walking could be meditative in nature! How so? Well, meditation is a technique that helps us build mindfulness into our lives. Meditation isn't about stopping thoughts, but rather to let them flow and watch them keenly with curiosity. In this process, we learn to relate to our own thoughts more skilfully. Although the experience of emotions is heightened with higher awareness, we no longer feel we are at their mercy.
This book is very well written- practical and warm, just like Andy's voice on the app. Loved how he builds ease into the idea of meditation by sharing anecdotes of his struggles with it. The research data only solidifies his case for meditation, along with the experiences of his clients/patients at the clinic. Highly recommend this to be prioritised on your reading list as it's one of those rare books that will change your life.
Who knew that activities like eating, sleeping, and even walking could be meditative in nature! How so? Well, meditation is a technique that helps us build mindfulness into our lives. Meditation isn't about stopping thoughts, but rather to let them flow and watch them keenly with curiosity. In this process, we learn to relate to our own thoughts more skilfully. Although the experience of emotions is heightened with higher awareness, we no longer feel we are at their mercy.
This book is very well written- practical and warm, just like Andy's voice on the app. Loved how he builds ease into the idea of meditation by sharing anecdotes of his struggles with it. The research data only solidifies his case for meditation, along with the experiences of his clients/patients at the clinic. Highly recommend this to be prioritised on your reading list as it's one of those rare books that will change your life.
October 20, 2020
Didn't quite expect a meditation guide to be so humorous!
November 19, 2023
یه سری کتاب دانلود کردم که ورزش کردنی اینا گوش بدم و قاعدتن نباید کتاب های علمی / نیاز به فکر دار / داستان داری که نیاز به دنیا سازی و توجه دارن باشن؛ پس میمونه همین مدل کتاب ها. خوبیش اینه با سرعت بالا هم میشه گوش کرد و اینقدر چیز اضافه وسطش میگن، حواست هم وسطش پرت بشه دوباره برگرده متوجه میشی چی داشته میگفته.
حالا اگه ببینم خیلی جذاب میشه میام ایبوکش هم میخونم ولی مثلاً این خودش کافی بود. راجع به مدیتیشن و مزایایش بود. حالا با تاکید رو یه سری مزایا که نمیدونم به لحاظ آماری چقدر درست بودن و فکتچکشون نکردم.
حالا اگه ببینم خیلی جذاب میشه میام ایبوکش هم میخونم ولی مثلاً این خودش کافی بود. راجع به مدیتیشن و مزایایش بود. حالا با تاکید رو یه سری مزایا که نمیدونم به لحاظ آماری چقدر درست بودن و فکتچکشون نکردم.
February 14, 2013
Mi sono avvicinato titubante alla lettura di questo libro, temendo fosse basato su spicci concetti new-age, ma ho voluto fidarmi dell'autore — "conosciuto" grazie al programma Headspace — e credo di aver fatto davvero bene.
Questo non è un libro sulla meditazione: è IL libro sulla meditazione; se dovessi consigliare ad una persona interessata a tale pratica una lettura introduttiva, sicuramente farei il nome di questo volume. Lo stile è estremamente lineare e piacevole, si ha la sensazione di stare colloquiando amichevolmente con un maestro di meditazione, ma non uno di quei criptici monaci buddisti che parlano ad indovinelli, bensì un ragazzo dotato di grande empatia che trasmette tutta la sua esperienza con le parole.
L'autore è un trentenne inglese che, poco dopo i 20 anni, decide di partire alla volta dell'Asia per farsi monaco e imparare a dominare la sua mente tramite la meditazione. Nel libro vengono raccontati diversi aneddoti, rendendolo diverso da un classico manuale e più simile ad un'autobiografia; tramite queste storie Andy (l'autore) prepara il terreno per una maggiore comprensione della pratica meditativa, rendendo il lettore più suscettibile ad un corretto approccio alla disciplina.
Ovviamente è pur sempre un manuale, quindi vi sono delle parti in cui viene spiegato come meditare, ma suggerisco di leggerlo dall'inizio alla fine, prima di imbarcarsi nella pratica.
Il libro ha un neo: è una gigantesca marchetta per l'attività primaria di Andy Puddicombe, la fondazione Headspace. Viene nominata e sponsorizzata diverse volte durante il manuale e francamente l'ho trovato un po' irritante. Il progetto Headspace è comunque molto valido, soprattutto per i principianti e, siccome il programma di base è disponibile in forma gratuita, mi sento di suggerirlo tanto quanto il libro stesso.
Per chi se lo chiedesse: il titolo italiano è 'Libera la mente'.
Questo non è un libro sulla meditazione: è IL libro sulla meditazione; se dovessi consigliare ad una persona interessata a tale pratica una lettura introduttiva, sicuramente farei il nome di questo volume. Lo stile è estremamente lineare e piacevole, si ha la sensazione di stare colloquiando amichevolmente con un maestro di meditazione, ma non uno di quei criptici monaci buddisti che parlano ad indovinelli, bensì un ragazzo dotato di grande empatia che trasmette tutta la sua esperienza con le parole.
L'autore è un trentenne inglese che, poco dopo i 20 anni, decide di partire alla volta dell'Asia per farsi monaco e imparare a dominare la sua mente tramite la meditazione. Nel libro vengono raccontati diversi aneddoti, rendendolo diverso da un classico manuale e più simile ad un'autobiografia; tramite queste storie Andy (l'autore) prepara il terreno per una maggiore comprensione della pratica meditativa, rendendo il lettore più suscettibile ad un corretto approccio alla disciplina.
Ovviamente è pur sempre un manuale, quindi vi sono delle parti in cui viene spiegato come meditare, ma suggerisco di leggerlo dall'inizio alla fine, prima di imbarcarsi nella pratica.
Il libro ha un neo: è una gigantesca marchetta per l'attività primaria di Andy Puddicombe, la fondazione Headspace. Viene nominata e sponsorizzata diverse volte durante il manuale e francamente l'ho trovato un po' irritante. Il progetto Headspace è comunque molto valido, soprattutto per i principianti e, siccome il programma di base è disponibile in forma gratuita, mi sento di suggerirlo tanto quanto il libro stesso.
Per chi se lo chiedesse: il titolo italiano è 'Libera la mente'.
October 31, 2015
Wonderful stuff. Everyone should listen to this guy. Mindfulness makes so much sense. I downloaded the app after GR friend Elizabeth spoke so highly of the book. After the 10 minutes of guided meditation a day, your mind feels nice and relaxed.
Highly recommend.
5 out of 5 stars.
Highly recommend.
5 out of 5 stars.
January 28, 2019
Andy Puddicombe a former monk is the founder and Voice of Headspace app.He trained in Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Russia and Scotland. Headspace exists to improve the health and happiness of people through mindfulness and mediation. In this book, Puddicombe the foremost mindfulness expert guides us through the steps of mediation in various ways, through eating, walking, running, sitting and sleeping. He tells us the story of his life as a monk and stories from people he encountered and explains the concept in an understandable way. He left the monastery after 10 years and started teaching meditation to those with severe anxiety and other conditions. He felt it was a skill everyone could learn and do about 10 minutes a day.
Quieting the mind, turning off the tv and mobile is something we need to do on a daily basis. With meditation, this is possible and necessary. This book didn’t give heavy insight into meditation itself, but it did give an understanding of what is involved in a good practice. The Headspace App goes through the actual practice. The free Headspace Take10 program is a great way to start.
“Meditation isn’t about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It’s about training in awareness and understanding how and why you think and feel the way you do, and getting a healthy sense of perspective in the process.”
If someone wants to learn mindfulness and mediation, this is a great way to start.
Quieting the mind, turning off the tv and mobile is something we need to do on a daily basis. With meditation, this is possible and necessary. This book didn’t give heavy insight into meditation itself, but it did give an understanding of what is involved in a good practice. The Headspace App goes through the actual practice. The free Headspace Take10 program is a great way to start.
“Meditation isn’t about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It’s about training in awareness and understanding how and why you think and feel the way you do, and getting a healthy sense of perspective in the process.”
If someone wants to learn mindfulness and mediation, this is a great way to start.
February 23, 2021
13.06.2020 English version: Meditation increases our quality of life by making us more relaxed, balanced and healthier. It is enough if we invest ten minutes a day to create some space in our head and to distance ourselves from our thoughts and feelings.
23.02.2021 Deutsche Version: Die Gefühle nachempfinden ohne sie zu kontrollieren - das ist das Ziel. Unsere Gedanken sind wie Autobahn und die Gedanken ziehen wie Autos vorbei. 10 min Meditation hilft dabei sich zu entspannen.
#blinkist
23.02.2021 Deutsche Version: Die Gefühle nachempfinden ohne sie zu kontrollieren - das ist das Ziel. Unsere Gedanken sind wie Autobahn und die Gedanken ziehen wie Autos vorbei. 10 min Meditation hilft dabei sich zu entspannen.
#blinkist
August 22, 2018
This book helped me to understand meditation and mindfulness in a better way, plus it motivated me to practice.
I highly appreciate the authors way to bring over his points from the underpaying intention and his combination with great stories.
Highly recommend this book, if you want to understand the meaning of mindfulness and mediation.
I highly appreciate the authors way to bring over his points from the underpaying intention and his combination with great stories.
Highly recommend this book, if you want to understand the meaning of mindfulness and mediation.
January 17, 2017
I have the app downloaded and the have enrolled in the year course. I really like this program. Soon I will be able to get on that plane to Ireland without screaming.
August 20, 2017
A very interesting book. A lot of good information!!! I recommend!!!
Read
February 27, 2021Mõtlesin, et lõpetaks vahelduseks mõne nendest pooleliolevatest raamatutest ära ka 🙃
Suht irooniline, aga selle raamatu puhul tundsin kuidagi eriliselt tugevalt, kuidas mõte läheb pidevalt kuhugi uitama, laulud ketravad peas ja üldse käib pidevalt ringi mingi rahutus. Oleks vist aeg vaikselt selle kõigega tegelema hakata.
Väga tore meditatsiooni tutvustus "tavainimesele", soojalt soovitan lugeda või siis proovida nt Netflixi sarja ja vaadata, mis tunde see tekitab.
This distinction between headspace and the emotion of happiness is an important one. For some reason we've come to believe that happiness should be the default setting in life and, there-
fore, anything different is somehow wrong. Based on this assumption we tend to resist the source of unhappiness - physically, mentally and emotionally. It's usually at this stage that things get complicated. Life can begin to feel like a chore, and an endless struggle to chase and maintain that feeling of happiness. We get hooked on the temporary rush or pleasure of a new experience, whatever that is, and then need to feed it the whole time. It doesn't matter whether we feed it with food, drink, drugs, clothes, cars, relationships, work, or even the peace and quiet of the countryside. If we become dependent on it for our happiness, then we're trapped. What happens when we can't have it any more? And what happens when the excitement wears off?
Suht irooniline, aga selle raamatu puhul tundsin kuidagi eriliselt tugevalt, kuidas mõte läheb pidevalt kuhugi uitama, laulud ketravad peas ja üldse käib pidevalt ringi mingi rahutus. Oleks vist aeg vaikselt selle kõigega tegelema hakata.
Väga tore meditatsiooni tutvustus "tavainimesele", soojalt soovitan lugeda või siis proovida nt Netflixi sarja ja vaadata, mis tunde see tekitab.
This distinction between headspace and the emotion of happiness is an important one. For some reason we've come to believe that happiness should be the default setting in life and, there-
fore, anything different is somehow wrong. Based on this assumption we tend to resist the source of unhappiness - physically, mentally and emotionally. It's usually at this stage that things get complicated. Life can begin to feel like a chore, and an endless struggle to chase and maintain that feeling of happiness. We get hooked on the temporary rush or pleasure of a new experience, whatever that is, and then need to feed it the whole time. It doesn't matter whether we feed it with food, drink, drugs, clothes, cars, relationships, work, or even the peace and quiet of the countryside. If we become dependent on it for our happiness, then we're trapped. What happens when we can't have it any more? And what happens when the excitement wears off?
June 24, 2023
Concise and straight to the point without being over-repetitive.
I first started meditating 8 years ago, so I was pretty familiar with most of what the book discussed - this is pretty much an introduction for people who've had no experience with meditation whatsoever - though the book is billed as that, it's not that I was fooled into thinking this was going to be something else, I already knew that going in. I simply wanted to use this as motivation to get back into consistent practice, and as a refresher on why I first fell in love with meditation in the first place. And it did pretty much that.
I do recommend this to anyone who wants to get into meditation and has no experience with it, and if you want to get a bit of a deeper dive into the practice, as opposed to simply taking on an introductory course on one of the many meditation apps/services, which will do the trick, nothing wrong with those, and I'd say that if you have to pick between the two, go for the guided audios/courses from the apps. A guided audio meditation is pretty hard to beat. This is more of an enhancer of that experience for those who would want that. You'll be in good hands, either way.
I first started meditating 8 years ago, so I was pretty familiar with most of what the book discussed - this is pretty much an introduction for people who've had no experience with meditation whatsoever - though the book is billed as that, it's not that I was fooled into thinking this was going to be something else, I already knew that going in. I simply wanted to use this as motivation to get back into consistent practice, and as a refresher on why I first fell in love with meditation in the first place. And it did pretty much that.
I do recommend this to anyone who wants to get into meditation and has no experience with it, and if you want to get a bit of a deeper dive into the practice, as opposed to simply taking on an introductory course on one of the many meditation apps/services, which will do the trick, nothing wrong with those, and I'd say that if you have to pick between the two, go for the guided audios/courses from the apps. A guided audio meditation is pretty hard to beat. This is more of an enhancer of that experience for those who would want that. You'll be in good hands, either way.
November 14, 2022
Нэг хэсэгтээ л ширээн дээр маань байж байг гэж бодлоо. Юун түрүүнд Headspace application суулгаж, өдөр тутам 10 мин төвлөрч бясалгах зааварыг дагаж, өглөөд өөртөө гаргадаг бясгалгалын цагаа улам төгөлдөржүүлэх хэрэгтэй байна. Олон олон видео хичээлийг дагаж, хөтөчтэй бясалгал хийсэн надад номон дээр дурьдагдсан авто замын хажууд зогсож, замаар өнгөрөх машинуудыг ажиглах, мөн хөх тэнгэрийн гэх аргачлалууд бясалгалын арга техникийг өөрийн болгоход гарцаагүй хэрэгтэй санагдлаа.
Номын хавтсан дээрх Билл Гэйтсийн үг уг номыг хангалттай сурталчилсан биз. Зохиолч нь бясалгал төвлөрлийг суралцахаар олон хийд, бясалгалын төвүүдэд амьдарч байж. Өөрийн сурсан мэдсэнээ хуваалцаж, ном бичиж, аппликэйшн ажиллуулж, эмнэлэг байгуулсан нь түүний хичээл зүтгэл, арвин туршлагыг илтгэх байх.
Ном 6 бүлэгтэй бөгөөд 2-4 дүгээр бүлэг арга техникийг дадал болгох ба өөрийнхөөрөө туршиж, амьдралын нэг хэсгээ болгоход чиглэсэн. Харин сүүлийн 2 бүлэгт зөвлөмж болон зохиогчийн эмчлүүлэгчдийн бодит жишээг оруулсан байна.
Номын хавтсан дээрх Билл Гэйтсийн үг уг номыг хангалттай сурталчилсан биз. Зохиолч нь бясалгал төвлөрлийг суралцахаар олон хийд, бясалгалын төвүүдэд амьдарч байж. Өөрийн сурсан мэдсэнээ хуваалцаж, ном бичиж, аппликэйшн ажиллуулж, эмнэлэг байгуулсан нь түүний хичээл зүтгэл, арвин туршлагыг илтгэх байх.
Ном 6 бүлэгтэй бөгөөд 2-4 дүгээр бүлэг арга техникийг дадал болгох ба өөрийнхөөрөө туршиж, амьдралын нэг хэсгээ болгоход чиглэсэн. Харин сүүлийн 2 бүлэгт зөвлөмж болон зохиогчийн эмчлүүлэгчдийн бодит жишээг оруулсан байна.
June 18, 2020
Λοιπόν, για όποιον ΘΕΛΕΙ να ξεκινήσει διαλογισμό και mindfullness αυτό εδω το βιβλίο είναι ο ιδανικός οδηγός . Άν πάλι θεωρείς - εστω και λίγο- οτι ο διαλογισμός ειναι κουκουρούκου ( οπως εγω θεωρούσα κάποια χρόνια πριν) τότε μη πεις στο κόπο καν. Αν πάλι ασχολεισαι ήδη , τοτε διαβασε το διοτι θα σε βοηθησει αρκετά στο πρακτικό κομμάτι . Προσωπικά, το audiobook ήταν λίγο basic γιατι περίμενα μία λιγότερο εμπορική προσέγγιση απο τον συγγραφέα. Βεβαια, ο ίδιος ειναι και ο ιδρυτής της πολυβραβευμένης εφαρμογής επομένως....
January 26, 2020
Каких-то полгода назад я очень скептически относилась к медитации, пока не встретила своего знакомого (привет, Арман!) который уже целый год прозанимался под приложение Паддикомба Headspace. Он находился в прекрасной форме, был умиротворенным, спокойным, улыбчивым — и это несмотря на довольно нервную сферу деятельности.
Мне пришлось признать, что в этом что-то есть. Скачав Хэдспейс, я начала заниматься по 3-5 минут в день. Шло непросто. С переменным успехом. Были дни, когда я забивала — и приложение нещадно сбрасывало все достижения, обнуляя количество дней. Здесь все оказалось просто: если вы занимаетесь, эффект есть. И чем дольше, тем лучше он проявляет себя.
Однако именно книга будет настоящим прорывом - она просто объяснит те или иные техники, а также доступно разъяснит как вплетать осознанность в остальные действия.
В мире, в котором мультизадачность считается требованием и достижением, осознанность и понимание момента кажутся мне настоящей роскошью. Позволяю себе ее все чаще.
Мне пришлось признать, что в этом что-то есть. Скачав Хэдспейс, я начала заниматься по 3-5 минут в день. Шло непросто. С переменным успехом. Были дни, когда я забивала — и приложение нещадно сбрасывало все достижения, обнуляя количество дней. Здесь все оказалось просто: если вы занимаетесь, эффект есть. И чем дольше, тем лучше он проявляет себя.
Однако именно книга будет настоящим прорывом - она просто объяснит те или иные техники, а также доступно разъяснит как вплетать осознанность в остальные действия.
В мире, в котором мультизадачность считается требованием и достижением, осознанность и понимание момента кажутся мне настоящей роскошью. Позволяю себе ее все чаще.
November 5, 2017
I had known about mindfulness and the headspace app since 2016 but only used it occasionally when I felt really stressed and needed to flush my head. The life changing potential of it never really made sense to me, as other than making me feel good for a few minutes, I couldn’t feel much difference for the rest of the day.
The mind is not always a friend. It’s just a biological mechanism designed for our survival. A monkey brain that’s flexible enough to learn the ropes of modern life.
My monkey went on a negative spiral some months back. It got hooked to the feeling of negativity and insecurity with a fervour I hadn’t experienced before. Since I knew about the calming aspect of meditation, I started it again and seriously this time.
The mind follows a set of cycles and habits that we have developed over a lifetime. Breaking these cycles requires to take a step back and seeing these habits for what they are.
It’s a skill that takes time, practice and patience just like learning any other skill. And this book will give you a great start towards that journey. You’ll know what is meditation, why you should do it, and how it will bring change.
Reading it, I realised many of the mistakes I’ve been making with my practice before. There were many unanswered questions which had been nagging me especially about being mindful in everyday life. Those got answered perfectly. The analogies provided gives you a clearer picture of how the mind works, and what’s the best way to approach when training it. And for some reason, just reading this book was a calming experience in itself. As if you’re seeing yourself and the world with a fresh perspective.
The changes this practice has brought are far reaching. There is so much you can learn about yourself and the world by just being mindful. You tend to come out of the small world you’ve build inside your skull that has very little to do with real life. Your interaction with others and yourself gets transformed. And with time these changes become concrete as the brain starts to change.
But don’t take my word for it, just start meditating already.
The mind is not always a friend. It’s just a biological mechanism designed for our survival. A monkey brain that’s flexible enough to learn the ropes of modern life.
My monkey went on a negative spiral some months back. It got hooked to the feeling of negativity and insecurity with a fervour I hadn’t experienced before. Since I knew about the calming aspect of meditation, I started it again and seriously this time.
The mind follows a set of cycles and habits that we have developed over a lifetime. Breaking these cycles requires to take a step back and seeing these habits for what they are.
It’s a skill that takes time, practice and patience just like learning any other skill. And this book will give you a great start towards that journey. You’ll know what is meditation, why you should do it, and how it will bring change.
Reading it, I realised many of the mistakes I’ve been making with my practice before. There were many unanswered questions which had been nagging me especially about being mindful in everyday life. Those got answered perfectly. The analogies provided gives you a clearer picture of how the mind works, and what’s the best way to approach when training it. And for some reason, just reading this book was a calming experience in itself. As if you’re seeing yourself and the world with a fresh perspective.
The changes this practice has brought are far reaching. There is so much you can learn about yourself and the world by just being mindful. You tend to come out of the small world you’ve build inside your skull that has very little to do with real life. Your interaction with others and yourself gets transformed. And with time these changes become concrete as the brain starts to change.
But don’t take my word for it, just start meditating already.
October 27, 2019
Finished is a relative term here - this is a book to come back to again and again for practice focus and inspiration. I have been meditating using different techniques for a while, some years more than others, and been consistently using headspace method this past year - hearing all good things from friends and colleagues. Andy Puddicombe’s method definitely hits the spot! The book is clearly written but not ***easy reading*** - it’s author has certainly had an interesting path to becoming a big name in modern mindfulness movement and he details it in an engaging and educational way.
The program is straightforward and has a big clinical aspect to it, which of course, appeals to me, because I often encounter these same issues in patients seeking acupuncture and Chinese Herbs. It bridges the Eastern methods of mental health and hygiene with what modern medical model calls mindfulness. I do feel it is a successful incremental method of introducing mindfulness into our lives - it won’t make it any easier unless you practice (Andy talks about this on many occasions in the book) but it does break who why when and how in a brilliant way that will assure your progress should you commit to sit.
The program is straightforward and has a big clinical aspect to it, which of course, appeals to me, because I often encounter these same issues in patients seeking acupuncture and Chinese Herbs. It bridges the Eastern methods of mental health and hygiene with what modern medical model calls mindfulness. I do feel it is a successful incremental method of introducing mindfulness into our lives - it won’t make it any easier unless you practice (Andy talks about this on many occasions in the book) but it does break who why when and how in a brilliant way that will assure your progress should you commit to sit.
June 6, 2021
When it comes to topics such as these, reviews could be so much about perspectives and existing expertise on the subject.
For me personally, I was always drawn towards meditation and was convinced that it had life changing implications. But having a mindset of a skeptic and a rationalist, it's always tad too difficult to approach such practices without getting to the bottom of it. It is not enough that you know it works. Knowing how and when it works and when it doesn't is the key to unlocking the secret behind a solution. The analogies Andy has used throughout the book are amazing and leaves you thinking about them throughout the course of the book and beyond.
What Andy has additionally done is clear the air around what meditation is and what it generally is perceived to be. The frankness that he brought in his writing was the best form of conviction an influencer can provide you with. Drawing the line between monastic meditation and daily meditation for a commoner was the best one for me. His focus on how we do not need to change our lifestyle or habits to be "mindful" was much needed for many. Ultimately, you can remain who you are. Meditation and mindfulness would just help you be "aware" .. or create just a bit more headspace. And sometimes, that's all we need.
For me personally, I was always drawn towards meditation and was convinced that it had life changing implications. But having a mindset of a skeptic and a rationalist, it's always tad too difficult to approach such practices without getting to the bottom of it. It is not enough that you know it works. Knowing how and when it works and when it doesn't is the key to unlocking the secret behind a solution. The analogies Andy has used throughout the book are amazing and leaves you thinking about them throughout the course of the book and beyond.
What Andy has additionally done is clear the air around what meditation is and what it generally is perceived to be. The frankness that he brought in his writing was the best form of conviction an influencer can provide you with. Drawing the line between monastic meditation and daily meditation for a commoner was the best one for me. His focus on how we do not need to change our lifestyle or habits to be "mindful" was much needed for many. Ultimately, you can remain who you are. Meditation and mindfulness would just help you be "aware" .. or create just a bit more headspace. And sometimes, that's all we need.
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